The Meaning of Isaiah 64:6 Explained

Isaiah 64:6

KJV: But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

YLT: And we are as unclean -- all of us, And as a garment passing away, all our righteous acts; And we fade as a leaf -- all of us. And our iniquities as wind do take us away.

Darby: And we are all become as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have carried us away;

ASV: For we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But we are all as an unclean  [thing], and all our righteousnesses  [are] as filthy  rags;  and we all do fade  {08676;01101:08686} as a leaf;  and our iniquities,  like the wind,  have taken us away. 

What does Isaiah 64:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Israel"s sins had thoroughly polluted her and had placed her in an apparently hopeless position (cf. Isaiah 6:5). Furthermore, she could not stop sinning. Was there any hope for her? She was as unclean as a leper, as repulsive as menstrual cloths, and as spiritually lifeless as a dead leaf on a tree ready to be blown away by more sin.

Context Summary

Isaiah 64:1-12 - A Cry For Pardon
The great past, Isaiah 64:1-5. We are introduced to the prophet's oratory and hear the outpourings of his heart. As he recalls the story of bygone days, he asks that God would do as He had done. It is as easy for God to rend the heavens as for us to tear a piece of cloth: and great mountains of difficulty dissolve before Him, as a pyramid of snow in a thaw. God works while we wait. When there is no sign of His help, He is hastening toward us. If you go out to meet Him, He will quicken His pace, and run to embrace you. These are God's ways and in them there is everlasting continuance. See Malachi 3:6.
Confession and prayer, Isaiah 64:6-12. The leper, the foul garment, the fading leaf fleeing before the autumn gusts-such emblems become us. If our righteousnesses are black, what must not our sins be! We need Him who comes not with water only, but with water and with blood. See 1 John 5:6. Perhaps our greatest sin is our prayerlessness. We do not stir ourselves up to it. God cannot refrain His mercy, if we cannot refrain our tears! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 64

1  The church prays for the illustration of God's power
4  Celebrating God's mercy, it makes confession of their natural corruptions
9  It complains of their afflictions

What do the individual words in Isaiah 64:6 mean?

But are like an unclean [thing] we all and [are] like rags filthy all our righteousnesses and fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away
וַנְּהִ֤י כַטָּמֵא֙ כֻּלָּ֔נוּ וּכְבֶ֥גֶד עִדִּ֖ים כָּל־ צִדְקֹתֵ֑ינוּ וַנָּ֤בֶל כֶּֽעָלֶה֙ וַעֲוֺנֵ֖נוּ כָּר֥וּחַ יִשָּׂאֻֽנוּ

וַנְּהִ֤י  But  are 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כַטָּמֵא֙  like  an  unclean  [thing] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא  
Sense: unclean, impure.
כֻּלָּ֔נוּ  we  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
וּכְבֶ֥גֶד  and  [are]  like  rags 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
עִדִּ֖ים  filthy 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עִדָּה  
Sense: menstruation.
צִדְקֹתֵ֑ינוּ  our  righteousnesses 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
וַנָּ֤בֶל  and  fade 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: נָבֵל 
Sense: to be senseless, be foolish.
כֶּֽעָלֶה֙  as  a  leaf 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָלֶה  
Sense: leaf, leafage.
וַעֲוֺנֵ֖נוּ  and  our  iniquities 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common plural construct, first person common plural
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
כָּר֥וּחַ  like  the  wind 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
יִשָּׂאֻֽנוּ  have  taken  us  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, first person common plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.